It came after they discovered that his sick trade in photographs of child abuse stretched across the globe.

Police uncovered a network of paedophiles who swapped horrifying images of children being subjected to abuse when they examined the trainee pub licensee's computer.

Now law enforcement agencies across Europe and the US are poised to pounce on those who shared the 39-year-old's fantasy for sex with children.

In total, 637 perverts in Europe and the US have been identified by West Midlands Police.

Smith, formerly of Rotherfield Road, Sheldon, was today beginning a three year and nine months jail term after being found guilty of four charges of making indecent photos, four of distributing and two of possessing them.

Passing sentence, Judge Phillip Gregory said: "I cannot find words to describe the utter vileness of the photos you considered it appropriate to investigate, download onto your computer, store and distribute to other likeminded people interested in such gross sexual contact with young children."

Intelligence reports compiled by the force have now been send out to police officers in a number of countries to help them make arrests.

Det Insp Alison Telford, who heads West Midlands hi-tech crime unit, said: "The internet may be a massive place but don't think we are never going to find you.

"People involved in this should know we intend to take you down." Smith, a dad himself, was nabbed after his details were found on the computer of another paedophile who was in regular contact with him. The trail of clues was followed right to the door of his former home in Sheldon.

He had left his wife and moved to London two years ago after meeting his new partner through an internet chat room but had left his computer behind.

On it police found hundreds of sickening images of child abuse and details of more than 1,000 photos he had sent out and 949 he had received.

Four other "traders" linked to Smith had previously received jail sentences ranging from four to 18 months.

Det Insp Telford said: "For every image they had, a child had been abused somewhere. It is about supply and demand. If there was no one viewing the images, there would be no need to make them."